Hear Today, Gone Tomorrow

Ladies, ladies, ladies…

If you will, please lend me your ear, and prayerfully it’s your good one. It occurred to me, while using the various and wonderful forms of public transportation, that something must be done. If someone doesn’t say something soon we have the potential to see an iPod/mp3 causing hearing loss epidemic in this country. In other words, the majority of you reading this will become deaf by the age of 40. Can someone say 40 is the new 60? So I have decided to say something before it’s too late.

Hear ye, please hear me.

In fact, many of you are probably listening to music while reading this. Well, do your delicate ears a favor and just press pause.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found myself sitting two rows and a seat over from someone, whether on a bus, a train, a plane, or in a restaurant; yes, a restaurant. I have sang along with so many people, and let me say, you have some hot sounds vibing off your playlist, BUT you are not the personal radio or soundtrack. Now I know this message doesn’t apply to all of you, but whether or not you listen to music at loud volumes, your, or someone you know, could benefit from turning down that dial.

My point is, your ears are not indestructible. Listening to loud volumes of music for long periods of time is harmful to the hair cells in your ear that help you hear sounds.

Some of us may think it’s harmless, I mean why would they even make these things with high settings if they knew it were harmful to us? (and that’s a valid question) Again, too much loud music for too long can damage your ears.

If we continue at this rate, pretty soon we’ll be shopping online at Siemans-Hearing.com and bragging to our grannies about the good deal we got on our half priced hearing aids.

So let's review:

Hearing aid: $799.00
Visit to the otolaryngologist (ear, nose, throat doctor): $115 to $325
Hearing your name called at graduation or someone announcing you won something: Priceless

--Acasia Barrett
Guest Blogger

Acasia Barrett is a graduate student at George Washington University where she is working towards her Master's in Public Health, Health Promotion and HIV/AIDS studies. When she is not in class, she immerses herself in her duties as both a research assistant at the D.C. Department of Health HIV/AIDS Administration and an intern at Community Education Group, a Community Based Organization in DC. In her spare time, Acasia enjoys reading, community service, and working on writing her books.